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The development of the dendritic organization of primary and secondary motoneurons in the spinal cord of Xenopus laevis. An HRP study.

During embryonic and larval development of the clawed toad, Xenopus laevis, two different populations of motoneurons appear in the spinal cord. In this study the development of primary motoneurons which innervate the axial musculature (used during embryonic locomotion) and of secondary motoneurons which innervate the extremity musculature (used for locomotion during metamorphosis and thereafter) was analyzed with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as a neuronal marker. After application of HRP to the axial musculature (rostral five postotic myotomes) the first labeled primary motoneurons were found at stage 24/25. During development gradually more labeled neurons were observed. These primary motoneurons send their dendrites into the marginal zone (white matter). At first only dorsal and lateral dendrites develop (stages 25-33), followed by ventral dendrites (stage 37/38). Up till stage 48 the developing dendrites extend throughout the marginal zone. Hereafter the marginal zone increases particularly at the dorsolateral edge, a development which is not followed by the dendrites of the primary motoneurons. The dendrites of mature primary motoneurons (stages 58-62) occupy the ventral and ventrolateral parts of the marginal zone. At stage 48, shortly after the hindlimb bud arises (stage 46, early metamorphosis), the first neurons related to this developing extremity could be labeled in the ventrolateral part of the lumbar spinal cord. At first these secondary motoneurons bear only a few dorsal dendrites of which only the tips reache out in the adjacent white matter. Already at stage 50 these dorsal dendrites have invaded the whole dorsolateral part of the marginal zone. Also the first ventral dendrites were observed at this stage. Later, at stage 53/54 also some ventral dendrites have reached the white matter together with a few lateral dendrites. At these early metamorphic stages already some primary afferent fibers were found making contact with the dorsomedial dendrites. At stage 58 for the first time recurrent axon collaterals were found, which extend into the ventromedial part of the marginal zone. The development of motoneurons in the spinal cord seems to be characterized by two phases: (1) establishment of contacts between motoneurons and target muscles, and (2) subsequent formation of connections of these motoneurons with other nerve cells within the central nervous system. The dendrites of primary motoneurons follow the development of the marginal zone, while dendrites of secondary motoneurons develop into an already well developed marginal zone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Wound recurrence following conventional treatment of colorectal cancer. A rare but perhaps underestimated problem.

UNLABELLED: Reports of trocar and extraction site tumor recurrences following laparoscopic colectomy raise concern that such recurrences may be occurring more frequently with laparoscopic compared with open colectomy. Contemporary data on the incidence of incisional recurrence following open colectomy, in the age of adjuvant therapies, are not available. PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to examine the incidence and clinical features of wound recurrence in current prospective trials including 1,711 patients with primary adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum treated for cure. METHODS: Files of all patients with recurrence (n = 623) were reviewed. Each site of recurrence was recorded separately. All patients have been followed prospectively, and 3-year and 4-year data are mature on 100 and 70 percent, respectively. Stage at diagnosis was B2 in 344 patients and C in 1,367 patients (> 4 nodes positive in 346 patients). RESULTS: Recurrence was identified in 623 patients (36.4 percent) and occurred at a mean of 1.5 years following primary treatment. Eleven patients (0.6 percent) had documented incisional recurrences (9 abdominal wound, 1 perineal wound, and 1 stoma wound). Only four were diagnosed clinically, and the remaining seven were diagnosed incidentally at reoperation. Of 11 patients with incisional wound recurrences, 2 had primary Stage B2 and 9 had primary Stage C disease. Nine of 11 patients were found to have multiple sites of recurrence at time of recurrence. At a mean follow-up of 1.8 years after recurrence, 3 of 11 patients are alive with disease, although 8 have died because of disease. CONCLUSIONS: Incisional recurrence is uncommon, although likely underestimated, following conventional treatment of colorectal carcinoma. Its occurrence is usually a harbinger of diffuse intra-abdominal disease. These data may provide useful information for investigations of laparoscopic approaches to colon cancer.

Aged↗

Stratifying risk factors for follow-up: a comparison of recurrent and nonrecurrent colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The selection of patients for individualized follow-up and adjuvant therapy after curative resection of colorectal carcinoma depends on finding reliable prognostic criteria for recurrence. However, such criteria are not universally accepted, and follow-up is often standardized for all patients without regard for each individual's level of risk of recurrence. Such a system of follow-up is not cost-effective. METHODS: A comparison of operative findings, pathologic features, and follow-up data of 1,731 cases of nonrecurrent colorectal cancer (821 colon, 910 rectum) with 357 cases of recurrent colorectal cancer (164 colon, 193 rectum) following potentially curative surgery was made, and results were analyzed to ascertain criteria for stratifying follow-up according to risk factors. RESULTS: Single-factor analysis showed that Dukes staging and tumor invasion were significantly associated with recurrence in both rectal and colon carcinoma. Tumor fixation and grading were additional significant factors in rectal cancer. Recurrence rates, time to recurrence, site of recurrence (locoregional vs. distant), and pattern of metastatic spread were not significantly affected by original tumor site. Recurrence was not significantly affected by patient age and gender. Individual surgeon performance in this series had also no significant effects on tumor recurrence. With multivariate analysis only, Dukes staging and tumor invasion into adjacent tissues were found to be independent adverse prognostic factors for recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Dukes staging and tumor penetration into adjacent tissues are the only significant adverse prognostic factors for tumor recurrence of colonic and rectal carcinoma. Tumor grade and tumor fixation are additional adverse prognostic factors in rectal cancer. Guidelines for follow-up may be based on these factors and follow-up thus stratified according to risk of developing recurrence.

Adult↗

A case of endolymphatic sac tumor with long-term survival.

A 72-year-old man developed left facial palsy at age 14 and left-sided hearing loss at age 20. At the age of 59, he presented with gait disturbance, and a large left cerebellopontine angle tumor was detected, which had markedly destroyed the pyramidal bone. The tumor was subtotally resected, but he required two more operations at the ages of 64 and 69 because of tumor regrowth. At the present time, recurrent tumor has destroyed the occipital bone and is invading the scalp. However, even though he has several cranial nerve palsies and cerebellar ataxia, he remains in stable condition and demonstrates long-term survival. The patient's surgical specimens revealed a papillary adenoma, which was recently thought to be of endolymphatic sac origin, although the origin of this kind of tumor, whether arising from the middle ear or from the endolymphatic sac, has not been established with certainty so far. In this paper, we provide further evidence that this tumor originates from the endolymphatic sac, based on anatomical, histopathological, and embryological evidence.

Adenoma↗

Cost-effective, reliable laparoscopic hernia repair: a report on 500 consecutive repairs.

BACKGROUND: A series of 500 consecutive laparoscopic hernia repairs, performed by one surgeon, was studied to evaluate the procedure for reliability, safety, and cost-effectiveness. METHODS: Patients with routine, first-time, recurrent or multiply recurrent, inguinal hernias were operated using the technique described. RESULTS: The recurrence rate was 0.2%. The complication rate was 0.6%. There were no deaths. Ninety-six percent of patients returned to work in 4-10 days. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair is reliable, safe, and cost-effective.

Adult↗

Inhibition of laminin-8 in vivo using a novel poly(malic acid)-based carrier reduces glioma angiogenesis.

We have previously shown that laminin-8, a vascular basement membrane component, was overexpressed in human glioblastomas multiforme and their adjacent tissues compared to normal brain. Increased laminin-8 correlated with shorter glioblastoma recurrence time and poor patient survival making it a potential marker for glioblastoma diagnostics and prediction of disease outcome. However, laminin-8 therapeutic potential was unknown because the technology of blocking the expression of multi-chain complex proteins was not yet developed. To inhibit the expression of laminin-8 constituents in glioblastoma in vitro and in vivo, we used Polycefin, a bioconjugate drug delivery system based on slime-mold Physarum polycephalum-derived poly(malic acid). It carries an attached transferrin receptor antibody to target tumor cells and to deliver two conjugated morpholino antisense oligonucleotides against laminin-8 alpha4 and beta1 chains. Polycefin efficiently inhibited the expression of both laminin-8 chains by cultured glioblastoma cells. Intracranial Polycefin treatment of human U87MG glioblastoma-bearing nude rats reduced incorporation of both tumor-derived laminin-8 chains into vascular basement membranes. Polycefin was thus able to simultaneously inhibit the expression of two different chains of a complex protein. The treatment also significantly reduced tumor microvessel density (p < 0.001) and area (p < 0.001) and increased animal survival (p < 0.0004). These data suggest that laminin-8 may be important for glioblastoma angiogenesis. Polycefin, a versatile nanoscale drug delivery system, was suitable for in vivo delivery of two antisense oligonucleotides to brain tumor cells causing a reduction of glioblastoma angiogenesis and an increase of animal survival. This system may hold promise for future clinical applications.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors↗

Differential diagnosis in hypersomnia.

Hypersomnia includes a group of disorders in which the primary complaint is excessive daytime sleepiness. Chronic hypersomnia is characterized by at least 3 months of excessive sleepiness prior to diagnosis and may affect 4% to 6% of the population. The severity of daytime sleepiness needs to be quantified by subjective scales (at least the Epworth sleepiness scale) and objective tests such as the multiple sleep latency test. Chronic hypersomnia does not correspond to an individual clinical entity but includes numerous different etiologies of hypersomnia as recently reported in the revised International Classification of Sleep Disorders. This review details most of those disorders, including narcolepsy with and without cataplexy, idiopathic hypersomnia with and without long sleep time, recurrent hypersomnia, behaviorally induced insufficient sleep syndrome, hypersomnia due to medical condition, hypersomnia due to drug or substance, hypersomnia not due to a substance or known physiologic condition, and also sleep-related disordered breathing and periodic leg movement disorders.

Chronic Disease↗

Peristomal varices after proctocolectomy in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a chronic cholestatic liver disease that is commonly associated with chronic ulcerative colitis. We observed the development of varices in the abdominal wall surrounding the ileostomy stoma of patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis who underwent proctocolectomy and ileostomy for chronic ulcerative colitis. In 10 of 19 patients, the development of peristomal varices was documented 12-133 mo after operation. Risk factors for the development of peristomal varices included splenomegaly, esophageal varices, advanced histologic stage at liver biopsy, low serum albumin, thrombocytopenia, and an increased prothrombin time. Recurrent bleeding from peristomal varices was a major problem; 7 of 10 patients required repeated blood transfusions. The only therapy of long-term benefit was surgical decompression of the portal venous system in 1 patient and liver transplantation in a second patient. In contrast, there was no perirectal bleeding in 4 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis who underwent proctocolectomy with an ileoanal anastomosis.

Abdominal Muscles↗

The preschool child: developmental themes and clinical issues.

The preschool years are a remarkable period of dramatic growth in the areas of physical, affective, and cognitive development. Physical development is characterized by a slow but steady rate of somatic growth and the mastery of motor skills that facilitate the child's achievement of autonomy and independence. Major themes in affective development include the achievement of autonomy and independence from family, a lessening of attachment to parents and the alleviation of separation anxiety, and the acquisition of impulse control and socialization skills. Cognitive development during the so-called preoperational period is best characterized by the mastery of language. The remarkable developmental gains achieved during this dynamic period culminate in a child who can function independently and competently and begin the major occupation of childhood--attending school. Health maintenance issues during the preschool years directly reflect the child's developmental stage. For example, nutritional issues reflect not only physical growth and motor skills, but also negativism and the child's struggle to achieve autonomy. Similarly, safety and injury prevention related to the "motor-minded" behavior so characteristic of children at this age, as well as the illogical, egocentric thought that predominates during this period of cognitive development. Examples of other stage-related issues addressed during health maintenance visits include discipline and behavior problems, sleep problems and night awakening, and toilet training. The unique aspects of development during the preschool years also have implications for other components of child health maintenance, including developmental screening, procedures and immunizations, and physical assessment. A number of clinical issues are of special significance during the preschool years. For example, the most common causes of children's short stature, constitutional delay in growth and familial short stature, may result in major parental concerns at this time. Recurrent otitis media is an important problem during this period of language acquisition. Among preschool children with urinary tract infections, the risk of an underlying structural anomaly of the urinary tract and the danger of irreversible renal damage is greater than for older children.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Age Factors↗

Pigtail catheters vs large-bore chest tubes for management of secondary spontaneous pneumothoraces in adults.

It is still uncertain if large-bore chest tubes (20F-28F) is superior to pigtail catheter (10F-14F) in terms of the management of secondary spontaneous pneumothoraces (SSP). This study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety associated with placement of large-bore chest tubes vs pigtail catheters in adults experiencing the first episode of SSP. We conducted a retrospective chart review of 91 patients experiencing the first episode of SSP in a university hospital over a 3.5-year period who received treatment by either a large-bore chest tube or a pigtail catheter. Any patient who was younger than 18 years or experiencing mechanical ventilation-related barotraumas or pyopneumothorax was excluded from this study. Various parameters including demographical characteristics, size of pneumothorax, complications, time of pigtail or chest tube extubation, and length of hospital stay were collected and analyzed. Among the enrolled 91 patients, including 76 (83.5%) men with a mean age of 60 +/- 19 years, 69 were initially treated with a pigtail, and 22 patients received conventional chest tubes. Fifty patients (72.5%) undergoing the pigtail drainage and 16 (72.7%) undergoing large-bore chest tube treatment of SSP were successfully treated (P = .88). In addition, there was no significant difference in terms of length of hospital stay, extubation time, recurrence rate, and complication. Pigtail catheters offer a safe and effective alternative for large-bore chest tubes to adult patients experiencing the first episode of SSP, and we strongly suggested that pigtail tube drainage should be considered as the initial treatment of choice.

Adolescent↗

Management of lactational breast abscesses.

The purpose of the present prospective study was to compare incision and drainage against needle aspiration for the treatment of breast abscesses in lactating women. During the 3-year study period, patients with breast abscesses were randomized 1:1 to undergo either incision and drainage (23 patients) or needle aspiration (22 patients). Ultrasound guidance was not used for any of these patients. Age, parity, localization of abscess, whether or not nipples were cracked, duration of symptoms and lactation, abscess diameter, pus culture results, breast infection history during any previous period of lactation, healing time, recurrence, cosmetic outcome in the case of incision and drainage, and volume of pus removed and number of aspirations needed in the case of aspiration were recorded. The treatment value of each of these techniques was investigated. Student's t-test, Fisher's exact test, a Chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U-test were used for statistical analysis. In the incision and drainage group all patients were treated successfully, but 1 patient (4%) had a recurrence 2 months after complete healing and 16 patients (70%) in this group were not pleased with the cosmetic outcome. In the needle aspiration group, overall 3 patients were treated with a single aspiration and 10 patients (45%) with multiple aspirations, but 9 patients (41%) did not heal following needle aspiration and subsequently required incision and drainage in addition. No recurrences were observed in the needle aspiration group during the follow-up period. The risk factors for failure of needle aspiration for breast abscesses were abscesses larger than 5 cm in diameter, unusually large volume of aspirated pus, and delay in treatment. In conclusion, breast abscesses smaller than 5 cm in diameter on physical examination can be treated with repeated aspirations with good cosmetic results. Incision and drainage should be reserved for use in patients with larger abscesses.

Abscess↗

Tumour angiogenesis and mast cell density in the prognostic assessment of colorectal carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: Tumour angiogenesis is essential for the growth, invasion and metastasis of solid tumours. There are several lines of evidence that the mast cells play an important role in tumour angiogenesis. AIMS: The study focused to determine the correlation between the microvessel and mast cell densities, and to evaluate whether tumour angiogenesis and mast cell density could predict recurrence following curative surgery in patients with colorectal carcinomas. PATIENTS: Microvessel and mast cell densities were investigated in tumour specimens from 60 patients with colorectal carcinoma. METHODS: Microvessels were stained by immunohistochemical method using a monoclonal antibody anti-CD34. The routine Giemsa blue staining method was used to assess the mast cells. Microvessels and mast cells were counted in a x400 field. RESULTS: The mean microvessel and mast cell counts were higher in patients with recurrence compared with those patients who were disease-free for at least 24 months (p<0.001). The Spearman's correlation coefficient revealed a significant correlation between mast cell and microvessel counts in colorectal carcinomas (r=0.684; p<0.001). Kaplan-Meier plots of survival showed that the high microvessel (>28) and mast cell (>6) counts correlated with a shorter disease-free survival (p=0.0003 and p=0.0013, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that the depth of penetration (T4 versus T2) (p=0.004), liver metastasis (p=0.04) and microvessel density (p=0.003) were independent predictors of recurrence. In multivariate analysis, mast cell density did not reach significance. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the microvessel density of the primary tumour may be an important independent predictor of tumour recurrence and time to recurrence in colorectal carcinomas. The significant correlation between mast cell and microvessel counts suggest that the mast cells may have a role in tumour progression via promoting angiogenesis.

Adult↗

Brachytherapy versus surgery in carcinoma of tonsillar fossa and/or soft palate: late adverse sequelae and performance status: can we be more selective and obtain better tissue sparing?

PURPOSE: To report on the tumor control, adverse late normal tissue sequelae, and functional performance in patients with tonsillar fossa and/or soft palate (SP) tumors. The aim of the study is to validate the use of a more selective clinical target volume in conjunction with highly conformal radiotherapy (RT) techniques to better spare the surrounding normal tissues. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1986 and 2001, T1-T3 tonsillar fossa/SP tumors were treated in the Erasmus Medical Center using external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) to 46 Gy in 2-Gy fractions to the primary tumor and neck, followed by brachytherapy (BT) to the primary. Neck dissection was performed for node-positive disease (BT group; 104 patients). If BT was not feasible, patients underwent surgery and postoperative RT (PORT) to a dose of 50-70 Gy in 2-Gy fractions (surgery group; 86 patients). Local control, regional control, disease-free survival, and overall survival were determined. Late side effects were scored using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed for regional failure (RF), with the parameters gender, age, site, TN stage, modality, dose, and overall treatment time. Recurrences in the contralateral neck were also related to significant ipsilateral involvement of the base of tongue and/or involvement of the SP crossing the midline. To determine the performance status scale scores and degree of xerostomia, a survey was conducted among patients living with no evidence of disease and a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. For that purpose, a research nurse interviewed patients regarding eating in public, normalcy of diet, normalcy of speech, and xerostomia. RESULTS: The tumor control rates after BT vs. surgery at 5 years were 88% vs. 88% for local control; 93% vs. 85% for regional control; 57% vs. 52% for disease-free survival; 67% vs. 57% for overall survival; and 5% vs. 6% for RF. No patient had RF in the contralateral untreated N0 neck (0 of 14 vs. 0 of 15). Multivariate Cox regression analysis for RF was statistically significant for Stage T2 vs. T3 (hazard ratio 0.09) and for the dose to the neck >46 Gy (hazard ratio, 8.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-57.1). The significant late side effects in the BT group vs. surgery group were ulcer in 39% vs. 7% (p = 0.001) and trismus in 1% vs. 21% (p = 0.005). The performance status scale scores and response to questions regarding xerostomia for BT vs. surgery revealed no statistically significant differences for eating in public, normalcy of diet, normalcy of speech, and xerostomia. The mean visual analog score for xerostomia was 5.5 in the BT group vs. 6 in the surgery group. CONCLUSION: Excellent locoregional control was obtained in T1-T3 tonsillar fossa and/or SP tumors. The rate at 10 years was 84% (BT group) vs. 78% (surgery group). However, adverse late side effects were not negligible. In addition to modality-specific side effects (ulcer/trismus), both treatment groups were significantly affected by xerostomia. Only 6 recurrences (4%) were observed in the 149 electively treated contralateral necks, and no relapses were seen in the 29 untreated contralateral necks. We, therefore, suggest that it is not necessary to treat the contralateral neck, unless the tumor extends beyond the midline of the soft palate (uvula) or beyond the lateral one-third of the ipsilateral base of the tongue. Moreover, with the currently available CT-based neck level definitions, more conformal contours (i.e., tighter boundaries) around the clinical target volume can be designed. In this way, critical structures such as the temporomandibular joint and part of the pterygoid muscles can be avoided more easily. Also, when using highly conformal treatment techniques (e.g., intensity-modulated RT), one can further reduce the dose to the major salivary glands and oral mucosa. We believe these measures will lead to less trismus and less xerostomia.

Adult↗

A Proteogenomic Approach to Discover Novel lncRNA-Derived Microproteins and Their Potential Clinical Utility in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Microproteins (i.e., peptides) are increasingly recognized for their functions in versatile biological contexts, but their clinical relevance and utility remain largely unexplored. Proteogenomic approaches can accelerate microprotein discovery in clinical samples by integrating proteomic data with genomics and transcriptomics evidence. However, long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-derived microproteins (lncPeps) remain largely unidentified, resulting in unmatchable MS/MS spectra. To solve this problem, we have used high-quality Ribo-seq translatomic datasets to generate an extensive database of human liver lncRNA-derived open reading frames (lncORFs), which we subsequently applied to proteomics data of tumor-adjacent normal tissue pairs from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Using the new database, we discovered 104 novel lncPeps, including 46 lncPeps differentially expressed between tumor and nontumor tissues, and 13 lncPeps with significant correlation with prognosis. Remarkably, combining the expression of lncPeps with canonical proteins in a LASSO regression model improved predictive performance for recurrence, increasing the AUC by 0.005 to 0.085 across three recurrence time points. These findings suggest that the discovery of lncPeps contributes to our understanding of the molecular heterogeneity and progression of HCC and broadens the range of potential biomarker candidates and treatment targets for the disease.

Humans↗

Lack of association between conversation partners' nonverbal behavior predicts recurrence of depression, independently of personality.

High neuroticism and low extraversion are related to depression and its recurrence. We investigated whether nonverbal involvement behavior during social interaction is one of the factors via which these relations are effectuated. We measured nonverbal expressions of involvement from videotaped behavior of remitted depressed outpatients (n=101) and their conversation partners, and assessed self-reported neuroticism and extraversion scores. During a 2-year follow-up, we assessed the recurrence of depression. Twenty-eight participants (27.7%) experienced a recurrent episode. Time to recurrence was predicted by neuroticism and extraversion, and also by the degree of association between levels of nonverbal involvement behavior of conversation partners. The behavioral effect did not explain the personality effect. Neuroticism moderated the behavioral effect. The results point to the independent relevance of personality and nonverbal behavior in the long-term course of depressive disorder.

Adult↗

Estrogen replacement in surgical stage I and II endometrial cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate our experience with estrogen replacement in women with a history of early-stage endometrial cancer and to determine whether it increased the risk for recurrence or death. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review was performed of 123 women with surgical stage I and II endometrial adenocarcinoma treated between 1984 and 1994; 62 had received estrogen replacement therapy after cancer therapy. Sixty-one women received no estrogen. Variables analyzed included age parity, surgical stage, grade, depth of myometrial invasion, presence of intercurrent illnesses, duration of follow-up, and duration of estrogen replacement, if applicable. Outcome variables assessed included recurrence rate, time to recurrence, and disease-free interval. RESULTS: The estrogen replacement therapy group had earlier stage disease (p = 0.04) and less severe depth of invasion (p = 0.003); however, the total number of deaths in each group was not significantly different. The disease-free survival in the estrogen replacement therapy group did not differ significantly compared with those not receiving estrogen replacement therapy. The data are suggestive of improved disease-free survival in the estrogen replacement therapy group, which may be related to differences in age, stage, grade, and depth of invasion. The overall recurrence rate was 6.5%, with an overall death rate of 1.6%. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence to suggest that estrogen decreased the disease-free interval or increased the risk for recurrence in early-stage disease.

Aged↗

Early and intensive therapy of intravascular coagulation in acute liver failure.

Four consecutive patients, three with fulminant hepatic failure and one with a severe relapse of serum hepatitis, who showed evidence of intravascular coagulation, were treated intensively with heparin and fresh frozen plasma. Rapid correction of the coagulation disturbance was achieved, and all four patients recovered completely. The necessity for starting such treatment early in the course of the disease and before the onset of major gastrointestinal bleeding is stressed, and it is suggested that intravascular coagulation may act as an intermediary in the pathogenesis of the hepatic necrosis.

Acute Disease↗

Timing of depression recurrence in the first year after birth.

BACKGROUND: Women who have suffered from one episode of postpartum-onset major depression (PPMD) experience increased risk for recurrence in the year following another birth. METHODS: Non-depressed women (N=51) who had at least one past episode of PPMD were recruited during pregnancy. After birth, subjects were assessed prospectively each week for 20 weeks with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and Research Diagnostic Criteria for recurrence of major depression. Evaluations were carried out at 24, 36, and 52 weeks to assess for episodes beyond 20 weeks postpartum. RESULTS: The data revealed a clustering of cases, with five of the 21 recurrences (24%) occurring in the first 2 weeks. Thirteen of the 21 recurrences (67%) and 19/21 recurrences (90%) occurred in the first 20 and 28 weeks following birth, respectively. LIMITATIONS: Although it is unusual for studies of this type to be prospective, the sample size is relatively small. CONCLUSIONS: The 1-year recurrence rate was 21/51 or 41%, with a clustering of cases near delivery. All recurrences except two occurred by 28 weeks postpartum.

Adult↗